Garfield County (LST-784)
1944-1959
Counties in Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Utah, and Washington.
(LST-784 displacement 1,780 (light); length 328': beam 50'; draft 14'1"; speed 11.6 knots; complement 115; armament 8 40 millimeter, 12 20 millimeter; class LST-542)
LST-784 was laid down on 18 June 1944 at Neville Island, Pittsburgh, Pa., by the Dravo Corp.; launched on 29 July 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Michael Ruzic and commissioned at New Orleans, la., on 1 September 1944, Lt. Daniel H. Miner, USCG, in command.
After shakedown off Florida, LST-784 departed New Orleans on 4 October, reaching Pearl Harbor on 18 November. Following intensive amphibious training in the Hawaiian Islands, she sailed on 22 January 1945 to join Pacific forces preparing for the landings at Iwo Jima. With marines of the 2nd 155 millimeter Howitzer Battalion on board, LST-784 touched at Eniwetok, Saipan, and Tinian en route to the objective, arriving off the beaches on 19 February and awaiting her turn to disembark her troops. For the next three weeks the ship remained in the area discharging cargo and performing post office duties for the fleet.
Returning to Saipan on 18 March 1945, LST-784 prepared for her next assignment, then sailed for Okinawa, arriving off the bitterly contested island on 27 April with a Construction Battalion (CB, or "Seabees") detachment . Continuously at general quarters, she discharged her cargo and sailed on 7 May for return to Saipan.
For the rest of the war LST-784 continued "milk runs" from the Philippines to Okinawa, transporting troops and equipment. With the end of hostilities, she engaged in the movement of men from the Philippines to Japan for occupation duty, and remained in the Far East until 11 November when LST-784 departed Saipan for the return cruise home. Steaming via Guam, she returned to the West Coast, where she decommissioned in March 1946, and entered the Pacific Reserve Fleet to be berthed in the Columbia River at Astoria, Oregon.
Named Garfield County 1 July 1955, she never served under that name, and was used as a target ship in March 1959.
LST-784 received two battle stars for World War II service at Iwo Jima and Okinawa.
